Is Britain broken (channel 5)

I followed this. So sad to hear / see what is happening.

Watched the Chaos programme with Laura kuenssberg last night, absolutely shocking. Final part next week. Well worth a watching.

An interesting program to hear what people in the real word are thinking.
Analysis Radio 4.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001nvtf

The outlook is pretty poor, our own ONS is predicting an arise of borrowing to 300% of GDP in the next 25 yrs. The policies of the last 25 yrs have been a total failure, for short term gain much of the nations assets have been sold off to foreigners.

I'm not too old, late 50s but this isn't the country I grew up in. It's bloody awful

MerylStreep

An interesting program to hear what people in the real word are thinking.
Analysis Radio 4.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001nvtf

Did you mean in the real world, where is that? I wonder if we in the UK spend as much time navel gazing at others countries problems.

Freya5

MerylStreep

An interesting program to hear what people in the real word are thinking.
Analysis Radio 4.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001nvtf

Did you mean in the real world, where is that? I wonder if we in the UK spend as much time navel gazing at others countries problems.

It affects many western countries, we have aging populations that do not contribute enough to the national economy. In addition those that are working are increasingly providing lifestyle services.

Katie59

Freya5

MerylStreep

An interesting program to hear what people in the real word are thinking.
Analysis Radio 4.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001nvtf

Did you mean in the real world, where is that? I wonder if we in the UK spend as much time navel gazing at others countries problems.

It affects many western countries, we have aging populations that do not contribute enough to the national economy. In addition those that are working are increasingly providing lifestyle services.

The grey £ is being spent in all sectors of the U.K. economy, just go into any coffee/tea shop, restaurant, hotel, hairdressers etc. and look at the demographics.

The last twice we have flown the majority of the passengers were over 60 (obviously going on appearance and overhearing conversations), even the beauty salon girls were saying yesterday that far more of their clientele is now from the elder generation, including nails, facials, pedicures etc.

I agree with you GrannyGravy. The grey pound is huge and without it the economy would suffer severely.
As you say, if you travel outside of school holidays, many of your fellow travellers will be over a certain age. Restaurants, pubs, and cafes are full of the older members of our society, especially at lunch time, and during the week. Gransnetters often mention going out for coffee or lunch. I myself, was out yesterday with a dear friend of mine and we went to the pub for lunch before enjoying a walk along the seafront. The grey pound was very much in evidence in the pub we went to, however when we go out with any of our adult children at the weekend, younger people are more in evidence.

Yes the “grey pound” is being spent it keeps a lot of workers employed at low wages, but it hasn’t been enough because the economy has been steadily declining

Nothing is going to change unless we have a much more productive economy even if it means we have to make our own coffee.

Nothing is going to change unless we have a much more productive economy even if it means we have to make our own coffee

Katie59 you do realise that the hospitality industry is big not just in the U.K. but worldwide, consequently your paragraph above is rather misleading.

It’s not just the Barrista who makes your coffee, it’s the supply chain which in coffee houses often supports small village producers, it’s the farmers supplying the milk and other dairy products, it’s the bakers supplying the bread… I could go on but I hope you get the picture

I think that perhaps we should not mention quite so often the grey pound and the retirees out lunching and filling planes. It does give politicians a reason for not maintaining the triple lock and those of the younger generations who are so inclined, another stick with which to beat us (metaphorically speaking).

Dinahmo

I think that perhaps we should not mention quite so often the grey pound and the retirees out lunching and filling planes. It does give politicians a reason for not maintaining the triple lock and those of the younger generations who are so inclined, another stick with which to beat us (metaphorically speaking).

We could mention all the youngsters out on the town with their designers trainers, jeans and sunglasses, or the girls with their nails, hair extensions etc, that’s before we get onto then having the latest iPhone, computer game as soon as they are released.

Dinahmo not every pensioner is poor nor is every youngster like I have mentioned above however, there is no denying that many pensioners do go out to lunch, dinner and holiday both here and/or abroad.

Or are you suggesting we can only post about pensioners lack of income misery?

GrannyGravy13

^Nothing is going to change unless we have a much more productive economy even if it means we have to make our own coffee^

Katie59 you do realise that the hospitality industry is big not just in the U.K. but worldwide, consequently your paragraph above is rather misleading.

It’s not just the Barrista who makes your coffee, it’s the supply chain which in coffee houses often supports small village producers, it’s the farmers supplying the milk and other dairy products, it’s the bakers supplying the bread… I could go on but I hope you get the picture

I’m aware of the supply chain and all that’s involved they are all on low wages.
Unless the UK provides more well paid jobs for workers the economy is going to sink further, with increasing numbers of pensioners to support where is the money going to come from?.

We’re often told on Gransnet that we shouldn’t mention the hair, nails, iPhones, drinking, excessive hen/stag parties, computer games, and so on because the young are struggling and poor, and they deserve these ‘treats’ to make their lives bearable. I don’t take that line, anymore than I believe that all pensioners should be shivering in their homes because they’re unable to afford heating, despite the £500 heating allowance awarded to all pensioner households last year. Plenty of pensioners can well afford to go out for lunch or coffee, plenty (even on Gransnet) can afford second homes to holiday in, plenty can afford to holiday at home or abroad, and plenty can afford to help their children financially. That is not because of the State Pension, which is abysmally small, but because many have provided for themselves by paying into a private pension or an occupational pension, and many have benefited from extensive inheritances.

Katie59 business owners need incentives to expand not the threat of punitive taxes. When big businesses are given incentives there is the outcry of bribery

Not all U.K. employers pay the living wage many pay above it.

Farmers are in some cases only making 2p in the £ , prices being ground down by supermarkets. For Farmers to earn more it will mean an increase of prices on the shelf, something which the majority of posters on GN have been complaining about for the last year.

Higher wages will inevitably lead to higher end user prices for goods and/or services.

Zero hour contracts suit some students and single parents who can work around their childcare schedules.

There isn’t a magic wand that can be waived by the politicians to make everything ok.

The U.K. needs to invest in infrastructure, but wherever new buildings, railways, roads are proposed there is the tendency to create uproar from so called NIMBY’S

I think I have covered items raised in your post.

maddyone

We’re often told on Gransnet that we shouldn’t mention the hair, nails, iPhones, drinking, excessive hen/stag parties, computer games, and so on because the young are struggling and poor, and they deserve these ‘treats’ to make their lives bearable. I don’t take that line, anymore than I believe that all pensioners should be shivering in their homes because they’re unable to afford heating, despite the £500 heating allowance awarded to all pensioner households last year. Plenty of pensioners can well afford to go out for lunch or coffee, plenty (even on Gransnet) can afford second homes to holiday in, plenty can afford to holiday at home or abroad, and plenty can afford to help their children financially. That is not because of the State Pension, which is abysmally small, but because many have provided for themselves by paying into a private pension or an occupational pension, and many have benefited from extensive inheritances.

Totally agree 👍

GG13

“There isn’t a magic wand that can be waived by the politicians to make everything ok.”

Well who do you think should?

Katie59

GG13

“There isn’t a magic wand that can be waived by the politicians to make everything ok.”

Well who do you think should?

If that’s all you have taken from my post, I cannot be bothered to go through it again.

Thanks Spinnaker 😊

Totally agree with your post GrannyGravy.

I am in rare agreement with Katie59 as far as the 'grey pound' is concerned. It isn't going to save the economy any more than the spending of the relatively wealthy is going to. There just aren't enough of either.

What is going to 'save' it is investment in new industries and in public services. The only likely investor i either is, for the time being, going to be the state because other investors are reluctant to invest in the UK because there isn't enough money around to make it viable.

It really doesn't matter if the money comes directly from the state or indirectly via other investors, it's all the same stuff as far as businesses and consumers are concerned, but if 'others' are reluctant to invest the state has to make a start.

Investment in public services cannot but help to grow the economy because all the suppliers to the state a private sector businesses and improved public sector wages, both by paying more, and by just increasing the numbers of public sector wages, will put more money into the economy. Investment in infrastructure, crumbling schools and other public buildings will increase economic activity; then there is investment in green technologies, to create new industries and new jobs.

Fairer distribution of the national wealth through improved progressive taxation would also help. Regardless of what anyone might believe, the wealthy don't have such a great propensity to spend into the domestic economy as do the less well off. A better distribution of national wealth should mean more spending in the domestic economy.

Posters are constantly noting that the 'rich are getting richer while the poor are getting poorer'. What is noticeable is that our economy is declining as this happens. There is a connection...

I think everything about this country is broken. It’s only a small thing but I read that the Canal Trust in my village have removed all the dog poo bins because they can’t afford to have it collected. I know people should take it home with them if there isn’t a bin but they won’t. They’ll just leave the plastic bag lying around somewhere. I feel that we’re just going backwards. It was only recently that I learned that the maintenance of our canals is charity run. And a local farmer had to have £8,000 worth of cattle euthanised because they’d caught some kind of disease from ingesting dog poo.

GrannyGravy13

Katie59

GG13

“There isn’t a magic wand that can be waived by the politicians to make everything ok.”

Well who do you think should?

If that’s all you have taken from my post, I cannot be bothered to go through it again.

GG13 I agree with most of the rest
If the government can’t/won’t make the decisions needed who can

Katie59 I was trying to say that no Government has a magic wand to remedy all that’s perceived as wrong in the U.K. just like magic

There will always be a very vocal anti brigade, as per my previous post.

It would take an exceptionally brave and strong Government to disregard these and crack on regardless taking the majority of the population along with them. Hence we only get tampering round the edges which achieves little and pleases few.

Apologies for rambling, hopefully you will get my drift.